The Brain Health Revolution Podcast

The Power of Storytelling to Educate and Empower with Lisa Genova

May 4, 2023

Lisa Genova, best-selling author and neuroscientist, discusses the power of storytelling in understanding Alzheimer's and empowering those affected. She highlights the importance of embracing vulnerability and investing in women's brains for research. The podcast explores overcoming fears in writing and the value of human connection in sharing scientific information.

56:55

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Episode guests

Lisa Genova

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Fiction and storytelling can be powerful tools to bring understanding and empathy to the human experience of Alzheimer's and other neurological conditions.

Stories provide a platform for empathy and connection, allowing people to better understand memory and the challenges of forgetting.

Art and storytelling have the potential to reduce stigma, promote empathy, and remind readers of the complexity and humanity of individuals living with neurological conditions.

Deep dives

Writing as a Pathway to Empathy and Understanding

Lisa Genova's journey into writing began with a personal experience of seeing her grandmother deteriorate from Alzheimer's disease. As a neuroscientist, she dove into research to understand the disease better, but realized that what was lacking in existing literature was empathy. This realization led her to believe that fiction and storytelling could be a powerful way to explore and convey the human experience of Alzheimer's. By immersing herself in the neuroscience and connecting with people living with the disease, Lisa was able to create authentic and relatable characters in her novels. Through her storytelling, she aims to reduce the stigma and bring understanding and healing to both those affected by Alzheimer's and those who have no personal experience with it.

Introduction

3min

The Power of Storytelling and Communicating Human Experiences

2min

The Power of Storytelling in Understanding Alzheimer's

20min

Broadening Understanding of Alzheimer's and Embracing Vulnerability

13min

Investing in Women's Brains and Alzheimer's Research

15min

Overcoming Fear and Giving Yourself Permission to Write

2min

The Power of Small Steps and Human Connection

2min

This episode is a conversation with the New York Times bestselling author and neuroscientist, Lisa Genova. Her debut novel Still Alice about a Harvard University professor who suffers early onset Alzheimer's disease sold millions of copies and has been translated into 37 languages. The book was adapted into a film in 2014 and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Julianne Moore's highly acclaimed performance as Alice Howland.

Her first work of nonfiction, REMEMBER: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, was published in March 2021, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her first TED talk, "What You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer's" has been viewed over eight million times and her most recent TED talk, "How Memory Works--and Why Forgetting is Totally OK" was the sixth most watched TED talk of 2021.

She has been recognized numerous times and has won many awards for here incredible work, including receiving The Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square, for "distinguished storytelling that has enriched the public dialogue."

We discussed her journey of becoming a story teller, her empowering message and important work for the community.

Follow Lisa:

Instagram: @authorlisagenova

Twitter: @lisagenova

Website: LisaGenova.com

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: The Brain Docs @thebraindocs

Facebook: The Brain Docs

TikTok: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com